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EVOLVING PERSPECTIVES OF JAINISM
by Shilpa Shah
What does it mean to practice Jainism? We see Jains in India going to the temple daily, performing pujas, and doing samayik, acknowledging the desire to attain moksha someday. On the other hand, we see an increasing number of Jains in the west participating in humanitarian, animal rights, and/or environmental activities in the name of Jainism to alleviate suffering in the world, recognizing that all life is sacred. Are these western Jains on the wrong path by straying from what many view
as "timeless" tradition and thereby "corrupting" the religion? Has the manner in Nearly three which Jainism is practiced in India today remained consistent throughout history?
A careful examination of the history of Jainism in India will show that the practhousand
tice of Jainism has not remained stagnant, but many changes were brought about for years ago,
a variety of reasons as deemed necessary by scholars, Achäryas, and even Mahavir
himself. These changes have contributed to the evolution of Jainism as we know it Parshwanath, today.
Nearly three thousand years ago, Parshwanath, the 23rd tirthankar taught Jains the 23rd
to abide by the Four Great Vows: Ahimsa (non-violence), Satya (honesty), Asteya tirthankar
(non-stealing), and Aparigraha (non-possessiveness). The vow of Brahmacharya
(chastity) was not listed separately because during that time period women were taught Jains to viewed as possessions, so the concept of remaining faithful to one's spouse was
implied under Aparigraha. About 250 years later, when Mahavir was tirthankar, he abide by the
recognized that times had changed such that monogamy abstinence could not be preFour Great Vows: sumed as an aspect of Aparigraha. Therefore, to adapt with the times, he listed
Brahmacharya as a separate vow to ensure that this concept is not lost. Ahimsa,
Since that time, other changes came about for various reasons. Each of these
changes have sparked debate, and although these changes have not necessarily been (non-violence)
accepted universally, they have had a significant impact on the various practices of Satya Jainism. It is not within the scope of this article to identify each and every change;
however, some of the major changes have been summarized. It is also not within the (honesty),
scope of this article to determine if these changes have been improvements or detriAsteya
ments, but only to show that changes has occurred throughout time.
About 160 years after Mahavir's nirvana, there was a famine that lasted for twelve (non-stealing), years. During this time, one group of monks migrated south to avoid the famine,
while another group remained in the north. Before the famine, monks renounced and Aparigraha
all of their possessions, including clothing. During the famine, however, the monks (non-possessiveness). who remained in the north relaxed the rule of nudity and wore a white cloth, while
the monks who migrated south maintained the rule of nudity. Thus two sects evolved, Digambers and Shwetambers.
After the 5th century, a significant number of Jains found themselves drawn to Hindu rites and rituals, so they began converting to Hinduism. To stop this trend,
Extending Jain Herit
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